


Tell Him

by NaomiJameston



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, bossy friends, fluffy fluff, songfic kind of, the fluffiest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:14:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25484530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaomiJameston/pseuds/NaomiJameston
Summary: Hermione is thinking about her job. Her friends are thinking about her happiness.Based on Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand's "Tell Him"
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape
Comments: 7
Kudos: 102





	Tell Him

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to my betas: AmiMendal, Turtle_wexler, and Morbidmuch.

“Well, don’t you look like utter shite,” Ginevra Potter declared, dropping her heavy Quidditch bag next to Hermione’s chair without preamble. It landed with a thud, rattling glasses for three tables around them. Hermione sent apologetic grimaces to the offended patrons but Ginny didn’t bother acknowledging them. She swung a leg over the low back of the upholstered chair and plopped down with more grace than anyone had a right being. Hermione groaned, letting her head fall into her hands.

“Hello, Gin. Did practice go well?” she asked evenly.

Ginny snickered. “Don’t get your knickers twisted, Mione. I didn’t think this was your scene, anyway. You’re not the porcelain and  hors d'oeuvres  type.”

Hermione’s lips twisted of their own accord before she could smooth her face back to neutrality. 

“I’ve been informed that certain individuals in positions of influence, such as myself and Harry and Ron, would do well to think of how their actions are affecting their reputations and movement within the Ministry. And that making ourselves approachable by certain high members of our society would do well to grease certain wheels.”

“Well that’s horseshite,” Ginny said with a snort. The occupants of the table next to them stood suddenly and left in a swarm of white cotton dresses, pearls, and expensive perfume. Ginny rolled her eyes at them while Hermione stared at the tea she was stirring as though she wished the cup was large enough to drown herself in. “Honestly, Hermione. Why would you want to be friends with stuck up bints like those?”

“I have enough friends. I need allies.” Hermione sighed and set her teaspoon down with a light tinkling of metal against china. “I can’t get any traction on the bills I’ve been presenting, Ginny. They keep stalling for no reason other than that those in power don’t want to help me. So I have to meet them on their battleground.”

“Tea at The Ritz is hardly a battleground. Why don’t you just do what Harry and I do?”

Hermione shook her head gently. “I’m not like that. I’m not an internationally famous Quidditch star like Ginny Potter. I’m not the most well-known Auror in the world like Ron Weasley. And Circe knows I’m not the Boy Who Lived to Thumb His Nose at the World. What I am is a girl who plays by the rules, and has only just figured out what those rules are.”

“I repeat, ‘horseshite.’” Ginny waved away the waiter that approached and tossed a handful of galleons on the table. “If that’s not enough, I’m sure you can forward the bill to the Potter residence. Miss Granger and I are leaving.”

“Ginny!” Hermione gasped, but Ginny hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and pulled Hermione from her chair with her other arm. 

“No arguing,” she declared, but Hermione wasn’t sure if it was directed at her or at the staff hovering around the edges of the restaurant. Though the room was full, the crowd parted like water to let them pass. No one spoke and hardly anyone breathed as they passed, and Hermione felt shame rising up her cheeks until her face was as red at the lobster served at one table. Ginny felt no such shame and charged through the crowd as though she could buy the restaurant. Which she probably could.

“I’ll meet you at Grimmauld Place,” she said to Hermione as they walked to the Apparation spot around the corner. Hermione turned to question Ginny, but the fierce woman Disapparated with a sassy pop. Hermione huffed in annoyance before turning on her heel to follow.

She appeared on the front steps of Grimmauld Place a moment later. She jumped a little to see the crowds gathered along the street; fans of Harry’s, she saw. One little girl held a sign that read “Our Saviour!” The crowds didn’t see her, though, and Hermione felt the wards buzzing behind her. Harry’s house was still Unplottable and the crowds couldn’t see anything, but that didn’t stop them from hoping.

“It’s awful, isn’t it?” Harry asked from behind her, making Hermione jump near out of her skin. 

“Harry!” she laughed, turning to hug him. He returned it with the same brotherly affection as always and pulled back to look closely at her face.

“Something’s upset you,” he said.

“ _ I _ upset her,” Ginny said as she stepped through the wards with Luna Longbottom right behind her. Luna’s twins toddled around their mother to throw themselves at Hermione’s knees.

“Auntie Mi’ne!” they chirruped at her with wide grins. She kneeled to cuddle them close, breathing deeply of their scent, no longer baby sweet but not full child yet. She scooped them up to squish them against her front, and the boys whooped and giggled, then squirmed to be free. They took off into the house with loud war cries. The adults laughed as they all tramped into the house, but Harry lingered in the doorway and faced the crowd. With his back turned to her, Hermione almost didn’t notice the happy smile fall from his face as he tapped a slightly raised spot on the door frame. A moment later, a uniformed Muggle police officer appeared and scattered the crowds.

“That’s a treat,” she said softly and he shrugged.

“It’s the cost of celebrity,” he said. “Why do you think I left all that behind?”

“How’s the book coming?”

Harry winced and rubbed a hand over the back of his head, ruffling the already untameable hair to new heights. “I’d rather talk about your problems.”

“That bad, huh?” she snickered. Harry shot his tongue out at her and they bumped shoulders good naturedly as they passed down the hall to Grimmauld Place’s library. 

Luna’s boys had been corralled to a far corner and they played with floating blocks and a stuffed kneazel without complaint. Luna leaned back on the couch, her ethereal appearance even more delicate than usual with the dark smudges under her eyes. But though she radiated fatigue, she watched her boys with the self-sacrificing love only a mother could embody. Hermione’s abdomen twitched minutely as she watched the tableau, and she chided herself for her jealousy.

“Enough of that, Hermione,” Luna said cheerfully and patted the cushion next to her. “Come and tell us of your troubles.”

“I don’t have any-” she started to say, but Ginny stepped in from the archway leading to the kitchen with several trays of food floating behind her.

“That’s such a lie, Hermione,” she scoffed. She flicked her wand at the smallest tray which whizzed over to the toddlers who launched themselves at it with enthusiasm. 

“I am not-”

“I found her sitting all by herself looking like a little lost dove surrounded by a herd of feral cats-”

“I was being  _ approachable _ ,” Hermione growled.

“You  _ looked _ pathetic,” Ginny sneered. “And you weren’t getting anywhere. Those bitches wouldn’t have talked to you in a million years.”

“Like  _ you _ could have done any better.” Orange sparks flecked through Hermione’s curls as her magic surged. Green danced in Ginny’s short pixie cut in response and the two women slid into defensive stances automatically.

“Ladies,” Luna spoke calmly. Though she didn’t say anything else, Hermione felt as though she’d been doused in ice cold water. She gasped against the shock of it, staggering under the sudden weight of Luna’s magic. Harry caught her shoulder to steady her but Ginny didn’t need his support. 

“I hate it when you do that,” she groused instead, rubbing the back of her neck.

“I don’t like doing it, I assure you,” Luna responded, smoothing her skirt delicately. “But the best way to break up fighting cats-”

“Hey!” Ginny protested but Luna leveled her silvery eyes at the redhead until she looked away.

“So, regardless of why Hermione was surrounded by judgy old biddies who have nothing better to do but gossip, why is she here now?” Luna asked.

“I have no idea,” Hermione said honestly, sitting on the settee primly.

“Because she’s unhappy in her life and we’re going to fix it.” Hermione spun her head to glare at Ginny who looked completely unrepentant as she rested her legs on the low table in front of her arm chair. “Don’t glare at me, Mione. You’ll get nothing but wrinkles.”

“Don’t be rude, Gin,” Harry said, leaning against her arm rest and stealing a small bundle of grapes. “Maybe Hermione doesn’t want our help.”

“Oh, she doesn’t,” Luna chuckled, plucking a bundle of grapes from the tray and adding them to a plate already piled high with sandwiches. She passed it to Hermione as she added, “But she’s going to accept our help anyway.”

“I am?” Hermione asked lamely, taking the plate obediently. 

“You are,” Luna assured her with a smile. “Because you know we love you and we only want the best for you.”

“So,” Ginny said, “who’s the guy?”

Hermione sputtered around the tiny sandwich. Luna patted her on the back until she regained her breath. “What guy? There’s no guy.”

Luna chuckled. “There’s always a guy, dear heart. Whether he’s a potential lover, a friend in need, or an enemy, there’s always someone.”

Hermione shook her head. “There’s no one. Honest.”

Harry eyed her carefully before placing a hand gently on Ginny’s shoulder. “All right. How can we help otherwise?”

Ginny and Hermione gave him identical looks of disbelief.

“Just like that?” Ginny growled. “How are we going to help if-”

“There’s no guy,” he shrugged. “How can we tell her what grand romantic gestures to give if there’s no one to give them to?”

Hermione felt her lip twitching in a laugh. “I’m terrified to ask what you would suggest.”

“Oh, nothing too outrageous,” Harry chuckled. He lifted Ginny’s hand to press a kiss to the back of it. “Simply tell him that the sun and moon rise in his eyes.”

“Really?”

“Oh yes,” Luna answered. “Then you reach up to him and whisper tender words, so soft and sweet.”

“Then hold him close to feel his heartbeat-”

“You’re having me on,” Hermione whispered, surprised at the tears that pricked at the corners of her eyes. 

“We’re not,” Ginny said quietly, reaching over to slide her fingers through Hermione’s. “I mean, depending on the man in question, perhaps you shouldn’t go so overboard. But if he makes you happy, that’s all we want.”

“He’s not- I mean, there isn’t…” Hermione dropped her head, a tear dropping suddenly. “I’m a fool.”

“You’re not,” Luna said, patting Hermione’s other hand. “You’re trying to distract yourself with problems that you feel more control over instead of focusing on the one at the root.”

“I don’t know what to do. I… I’m scared. Maybe he’s in love with someone else.”

“I’ve been there, with my heart out in my hand,” Luna said and Ginny nodded on her other side. “But you can’t let the chance to love him pass you by.”

“Tell him,” Ginny urged her, shaking Hermione’s hand gently. 

Hermione shook her head. “I don’t think I could endure… I love him. But-”

“Well, the truth will set you free. Do you trust him?” Luna asked. Hermione nodded slowly. “Then that faith will lead love where it has to go.”

“If I let him walk away-”

“Don’t,” Harry interrupted. “Feed the fire with all the passion you can show. And tell him.”

“I feel it,” Hermione whispered. She looked up, blinking suddenly clear eyes. “I love him.”

“Then show him,” Ginny grinned, hoisting Hermione to her feet. “Tonight love will assume its place!”

“Don’t be dramatic, Gin,” Luna laughed as she stood. “But she is right, Hermione. Go tell Severus that you love him, and we’ll fix your Ministry problems tomorrow.”

“Yes… Yes, I think I will,” Hermione whispered. She turned to pull her three friends into a large hug. “Thank you.”

“Just remember that Luna is a lovely middle name,” Luna said with a grin.

“Hey! Their first should have my name,” Ginny protested.

“Ginevra Luna? The poor thing.” Harry rolled his eyes and shooed Hermione from the room. She gave a watery laugh and rubbed a hand over Lysander’s head as she passed.

“Wish me luck,” she whispered. Lysander smiled at her before wiping his nose on her skirt.

~~~~~

“I had wondered about the streak of… something on your skirt,” Severus said, rubbing his knuckles gently on her sweat-soaked shoulder. The sheets had long been abandoned and they twined together wearing only their love.

“I’m going to consider it a good luck charm and never think of it again,” Hermione chuckled. Her hand drifted down to slide along Severus’ hip. “Just like I’m not going to think of the fact that I owe Luna and Ginny my firstborn.”

“Perhaps they will be content with splitting the name between two girls?” Severus chuckled, nibbling along Hermione’s collarbone. Hermione squirmed as he dipped a kiss to the valley between her breasts and twined his fingers with hers. “And Hermione?”

“Hmm?”

He smiled, his eyes locked with hers and bright with love.

“I’m glad you told me.”


End file.
